General Manager Cinnamon Lakeside. VP Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts - F&B / Culinary

• Apr 2019 - Present

A commitment to a larger vision with astute business strategy enabled Cinnamon Lakeside to become the city’s most preferred hospitality destination. A 3-pronged approach to strategy – revenue generation through pioneering products, services and experiences, exceeding customer and Associate satisfaction, led to several milestones. In FY 2019/20, received vote of confidence from the approximately-600 member staff at JKH‘s Great Place to Work (GPTW) survey. Recorded highest GPTW growth percentage in history of the hotel, with 15% increase amongst Executives and 34% increase in Non-Executives. Customer endorsements on TripAdvisor moved it from 3rd to 2nd position. Recorded highest paid Service Charge in December 2019, a first in its 37-year history, and the highest amongst the 5-star city hotels in Colombo. Despite first and last quarters affected by the Easter Sunday attack and COVID-19, achieved the forecasted Total Revenue and a profit increase of +41% against the re-forecast. Recorded growth of +1.6% over previous year in the food and beverage sphere, although other Colombo city hotels showed a decline of -23.6% against previous year. Other milestones included plethora of concepts, such as bringing down international celebrity chefs, bartenders and overseas hotel partnerships to add buzz to culinary landscape of the city. Launch of ColomBar in December 2019, the pioneering destination bar in the city, bringing in chemistry, technology and sustainability, creating unique flavours and offerings with a new food and beverage concept, saw incorporation of first arrack bar in a 5-star hotel. The hotel swept the medal tally with 64 medals at the Culinary Art Food Expo Competition, including 16 Gold, 31 Silver and 17 Bronze, 1st Runner-Up at the Overall Competition, Most Outstanding Colombo City Hotel Team, Most Outstanding Overall Hotel Culinary Team, Most Outstanding Culinary Artist, and Most Outstanding Overall Hotel (2nd Runner-Up). Show less

Group Chief Operating Officer

• Jul 2018 - Apr 2019

General Manager

• Jun 2013 - Jun 2018

Financial impact: • Doubled the Total Revenue over the 4-year period Restaurant revenue by 181% and banquet revenue by 81%. • Net profit was increased by 132% for the same period and has grown by 23% on average on YoY basis. • The average service charge for staff was increased by 120% since I took over operations. Operations: •Assumed responsibilities as General Manager during the building phase of the CHOGM Retreat Center. Supervised and made operational the retreat center for 53 heads of state for 3 days during the CHOGM, including the Food & Beverage and service aspects. •Re-positioned the hotel to add rooms & serviced apartments, with all required facilities. Directly coordinated the drawing up of Project Proposals, plans, layouts with project teams and architects, including all regulatory approvals. • Created 9 additional F&B Outlets Ginza / Pranzo / Falsetto / Long Bar / Bavarian Garden/ The drive through Pastry Shop / Tea Lounge/Tuna Paha (Sri Lankan) /Diyatha Station (Train Concept) • Established Sri Dharanee – 500 seats state of the art performance center with a third party. • Created 2 up-market Banquet Venues and developed 3 State of the Art meeting rooms Show less

Executive Chef

• Mar 1985 - Jun 2013

Executive chef (1st September 2000), Executive Sous Chef (23rd August 1991), Senior Sous Chef (14th April 1990), Sous Chef (31st May 1989), Junior Sous Chef (1st May 1987), Chef de partie ( 1986), Demi chef ( 1985) Team size: Kitchen Staff 152 + Stewarding 58 Managing the kitchens of a 400 roomed 5 Star Classed International Chain Hotel with 14 F&B outlets, Banquets and an outside catering division. The hotel operates 17 Satellite Kitchens providing diverse cuisine from international buffet, snacks, Authentic Sri Lankan, Specialty Chinese, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Pastry & Bakery with respective Expatriate Master Chefs, Selected contributions and achievements • Pre-opening assistance including setting-up concepts, standards and training of staff for the Rangali Hilton in the Maldives in May 1997 which is considered to be a luxury worldwide resort. Present – Conrad Hilton • Pre-opening assistance including setting-up concepts, standards and training of staff for the “Deli Market Concept” World Trade Centre in Colombo, Sri Lanka in September 1996 for all food & beverage outlets which was under Hilton Colombo. • Pre-opening assistance for JAIC Hilton and refurbishment and opening of the former SPOONS Restaurant at the Hilton Colombo with a new concept ‘Stylishly Casual with Trendy Food’ (formally Gables‟ Fine Dining Restaurant) in 2003. • Invited by Tokyo Hilton in Japan as a Guest Chef at Twenty One (Fine Dining Restaurant) in September 2002 which I was involved in training of staff apart from running my own menu. • Has compiled a very well recognized 3 year Tailor made Kitchen Apprentice Programme for the Hilton Colombo Kitchen Apprentices which includes once a week Theory, Practical sessions and on the job training. During my tenure I conducted and trained 5 batches of apprentices. •Conducts culinary skills training for the Lady Hilton Cooking Academy of the Hilton Colombo on a monthly basis Show less